Beginner

One of the most confusing aspects of Spey casting is lines (and tips). Unfortunately, this has carried over to Trout Spey as well. This article is meant to accompany our Trout Spey Shootout and not to provide an in-depth analysis, review or explanation of every [trout] Spey line on the market.

Musky are mean. They’re large, finicky fish that will eat anything one day and refuse the most well-presented fly the next. These fish have gained popularity in contemporary fly fishing in part due to the big-bug craze and in part due to social media. Who doesn’t want a picture with a 40+ inch predatory giant? Like choosing a reel for other species, there are a lot of options. This article will help you sort through the choices to help determine exactly what you need in a Musky fly reel and which features may be extraneous.

If you’re new to Carp fishing, you’re probably wondering what the best tools are for targeting these fish. If you’re looking for fly rod advice, we’ve covered that already. In that post, we touched on features of a fly reel that are beneficial when Carp fishing, too. This post is going to expand on the brief info about fly reels provided in that article to help you build a more well-rounded rod/reel setup for Carp.

The Striped Bass has long been an attention-grabbing gamefish. Maybe you’ve seen pictures on the internet or social media. Maybe you’ve hooked and lost a giant. The allure of Striper fishing hinges, partially, on the opportunity at a 50lb fish. But there are fish for everyone which makes Striper fishing attractive, too. Whether you’re trophy-chasing or numbers-crazy, it’s a migration that holds opportunity for novice and expert anglers alike. Sure, you can pick your days and work around the weather. If you’re serious about fly fishing for Stripers, however, a long season can wear down equipment, even if you only fish in the bright sun. Choosing the right equipment can increase chances of success and can also make replacing important gear a non-yearly tradition. Read on to find out which fly reels are the best.

Fly fishing for Pike means big gear. These fish are large, strong, and aggressive. They eat big flies, often require sinking lines, and don’t turn over and come to the boat easily. That means a strong reel is a must. And a reel that picks up line quickly, has enough drag to stop a charging fish, and one that accommodates heavy sinking lines add to the angler’s chance of success. Here, we cover the must-haves for a Pike fly reel and how to choose the best one.

Steelhead season is here. Well, almost. It’s definitely time to start thinking about long, fishless days and fooling the fish of a thousand casts. Bright chrome, screaming runs, acrobatic jumps. It’s all within reach. Steelhead are difficult to catch and require persistence, dedication, and skill, however. They’re not for the faint of heart. When you finally hook one, the right gear will improve your chances of landing it. Read on to find out how choosing the right fly reel affects your chances.

There are a ton of options when choosing a fly reel for Bonefish. Saltwater fly reel innovation has made manufacturing techniques and materials incredibly affordable. That means you no longer have to spend $700 for a saltwater-safe fly reel (though you still can… and in some instances, you should). Quality saltwater fly reels in the $200-$400 price range do exist and feature drag systems and reel designs that are capable of handling Bonefish. But Bonefish are deceptively spunky. It’s intuitive that you need a reel with a strong drag system to fight a Tarpon (read our post about fly reels for Tarpon here). Tarpon are massive. But Bonefish are small… a trophy fish is 10-12lbs. So do you really need the best saltwater fly reel on the market with the strongest drag system in the universe? You’d be surprised by the answer. Read on to find out.

Ahhhh the famous Silver King. Similar to Permit, Tarpon drive anglers into a wild frenzy of frustration, anxiety, and exhaustion. Seriously, large Tarpon are incredibly difficult to wrangle on a fly rod. Tarpon have a way of humbling even the most experienced anglers with their 100+ lb size and their infamous leaping line rips. Even when all the variables are in the angler’s favor they’re still one of the toughest fish to catch on a fly rod. So it’s almost a necessity to have the very best gear if you want a chance at a 100+ lb Tarpon. Skills aside, the right gear and a bit of luck go a long way. If you hook up to a big Tarpon with an old reel that’s rusted and worn… good luck. I’d take the Tarpon over the fly reel every time. Here’s how to choose the right fly reel.

Most people think of tournaments and conventional fishing gear when they think of Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. Sure, Largemouth Bass are fun to catch on a crankbait or a topwater plug… But we think they’re even more fun to catch on a fly rod (admittedly biased). We’ve already covered How To Choose A Fly Rod For Bass, but what about the right fly reel for the job? Read on to find out which fly reel is the best.

The holy grail of saltwater fishing, the Permit, drives anglers crazy. Seriously people go insane for this fish. Permit are temperamentally snooty and senselessly selective. There are other species that are similarly difficult to catch but none as frustratingly conceited as the Permit. People spend thousands of dollars and go on more than a few trips to catch one Permit on the fly. Choosing the right fly rod helps. Read on to see which rod is best.